Personal Stories

It changed my life and our relationship

Phil Petrasek

Two years ago I went through the agonizing process of finally being diagnosed with PD. Thinking it was developing faster than the "usual" process I was referred to the Booth Gardner Center at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, WA. What a blessing this PD research center is! In the year and one-half I have been seen there both my wife and I have learned how we have needed to "do things differently" in our lives. We both retired "early" (at 62) after 36 years of careers for both of us. I was a pastor and my wife was a special education teacher. One of the words I have heard over and over from the Booth Gardner "team" is "If you really want to do it, don't let PD tell you that you can't!" Throughout this journey I have seen things change in my life that I struggle with daily. Lately I have lost the ability to sing. That has been my biggest loss to date as I have sung my whole life. So, today I do a great lip sync with any song I hear. As I have been told, "If you enjoy it, find another way to enjoy it." The picture shows my wife (Linda) and our daughter (Kari) at my retirement party last year.